There are many business beneficiaries of crowdfund investing. The obvious beneficiaries are the businesses receiving the capital, but equity- and debt-based crowdfund investing has created a brand-new[more…]

With the advent of crowdfund investing, you have the classic two-sided market problem: How do you match demand and supply? How do you help businesses that need funding find willing investors who are looking[more…]

When the stock market crashed in October 1929, public confidence in the markets collapsed. Investors large and small, as well as the banks that had loaned to them, lost great sums of money in the ensuing[more…]

Startups seem sexy. When you think about a startup, you may envision a bunch of high-tech college kids camped out in a fraternity house or apartment, coding away, living on beer and pizza, and figuring[more…]

Many new small businesses can’t secure bank loans. That’s always been the case, and it’s become even more difficult since 2008. Banks require security for their loans and, in most cases, want to see two[more…]

Before you dig deeper into what crowdfund investing is and how you can tap into it for supporting a new venture or a small business, you should have some sense of how it differs from the types of funding[more…]

If you’ve seen the movie The Social Network, you understand the need to protect your intellectual property. Before you set out on your crowdfund investing campaign, you should clearly understand some risks[more…]

This information is provided in conjunction with Doug Ellenoff of Ellenoff, Grossman & Schole (EGS). Consider EGS the leading crowdfunding law firm. They have over 30 years of experience working with startups[more…]

This statistic bears repeating: On average, 50 percent of investments in early-stage companies fail. So, the risks of crowdfund investment seem pretty clear: You can lose some or all of your money.[more…]

One of the big differences between crowdfund investing and regular stock investing is that if you’re part of a crowd, you have actual contact with the business owner. If a crowdfund investment campaign[more…]

Spend time early on (ideally, before you invest) considering the best way for you to exit your crowdfund investments. When buying stocks or bonds of publically traded companies, you have what’s referred[more…]

When establishing a crowdfund investing business, you must get specific about your target market. Defining who your customers will be is critical. Have you ever heard the phrase It’s impossible to boil[more…]

You need to target your fundraising efforts to sources that are the best fit. Think about what your business is offering from a product, service, and investment perspective. Think about where you are now[more…]

If you plan to offer an equity offering via crowdfund investing, you have to calculate your valuation. Valuation is a topic covered in depth in many academic books and college courses. Why is valuation[more…]

Before you envision specific faces in your crowd of investors, you want to get a sense of how many faces (and wallets) you need. With crowdfund investing, you have to make some rough calculations to determine[more…]

When you establish the parameters for crowdfund investment in your business or project, you may determine that you don’t want to bother with tiny investments. You don’t want people buying into your venture[more…]

The principle of crowdfund investing is based on a community of interrelated people coming together to support someone they know and trust with their money to help launch an initiative. These investors[more…]

By seeking crowdfunding for a project or new business, you’re embarking on a process that may last for many years. Over those years, you’ll be building and maintaining relationships not only with your[more…]

Whether you choose a funding portal or a broker-dealer to support your crowdfund investment campaign, that entity must be registered with FINRA. What else are you looking for from an online portal? Following[more…]